Tango With Tom
by Allons-yalatardis17
Summary: An already pleasant evening turns into a complete dream when Tom Hiddleston asks you to dance. ReaderXtomhiddleston
1. Chapter 1

_Just a bit of fun between the reader and Tom Hiddleston. Trying to keep it somewhat realistic, but also make it a satisfying fantasy. Rating may go up depending on later chapters. More to come._

* * *

It's a Wednesday night and you're at a charity gala full of celebrities. Your best friend is gradually breaking into the film business, and through one connection or another, she was lucky enough to score an invitation for two to this enormous event. Naturally, the two of you were largely off to yourselves, but that was nothing to sneer at considering the quality of the entertainment and refreshments. Up to this point, you'd spent the majority of the evening pointing out your favorite stars to one another.

Standing on the side of the dance floor with drinks in hand, you and your friend chat away happily as if it were the most normal thing in the world for you to be there. Laughing at something your friend says, you look up and your breath suddenly catches in your throat.

"Is that Tom Hiddleston walking toward us?" you ask discretely.

"Either that or we're both having the same delusion," she replies in disbelief.

Sure enough Tom approaches you, and he looks gorgeous as usual. Tonight he's in a light grey suit and baby-blue tie.

"Would you care to dance?" he asks, extending a hand. Your friend's jaw falls partially open and you're glad he doesn't seem to notice.

You compress your initial shock into a remarkably small pause. "I'd love to," you reply as casually-but-still-enthusiastic as possible. Smiling, you accept Tom's hand and he leads you onto the floor just as the music starts. "Ahh a waltz," he remarks out loud, taking you into the proper hold. The combination of his sudden closeness and his hand around your waist leaves you breathless before you even begin dancing.

Looking over Tom's shoulder, you mouth "_take a picture_" to your friend, and she grins, holding up her cell phone excitedly.

"Enjoying yourself this evening?" Tom asks quietly as you step and sway together.

"I am," you retort, "and even more so now".

Tom looks down towards his feet and smiles shyly but amusedly.

"And what about you? Having a good time?"

"Always do," he responds.

The way he talks- it's just the same as all the interviews you've seen. He's so sincere in everything he says and does. Your admiration, however, is interrupted as Tom leads you into a spin. "You've done this before," he acknowledges, both accusingly and admiringly.

"What?" you ask, as you find your way back into his arms.

"You dance well," he says. "You've been following my lead effortlessly."

"Oh, well I took lots of classes growing up," you explain. "And I've dabbled in ballroom when occasion demands it."

"Clearly it's paying off."

A shy "thank you" is all you can manage.

"So when you aren't dabbling in dance, what is it that you do?" Tom inquires.

"I'm a student," you say, and he goes onto ask you all about your studies and your interests as he sweeps across the dance floor. You're flattered that he seems so genuinely interested in your life. You ask him how his acting is going, to which he replies modestly that it's all going remarkably well.

The music eventually changes into something noticeably more staccato. "Tango," you say with confidence, showing Tom you know your stuff.

"Have you got the moves?" he asks playfully. All you can do if smile.

"Have _you_?" you challenge. Tom narrows his brow and brings you into a close hold, your bodies pressing into one another completely.

Taking a deep breath, you try to relax and remember back to the few tango lessons you'd had in the past. It wasn't necessary though, as Tom seemed to know what he was doing. At one point, he paused and his finger lifted your chin up to meet his gaze, which was piercing.

"_He's an actor," _you remind yourself. "_He's acting, that's all this is._"

You know you can't hold your ground against his theatrics, so you decide to show off a bit of your technique. Tom gives you a quizzical smirk and on the last note of the music, he dips you down as low as you can go. You try to ignore how his hand trails along your thigh and lingers on your hip as he helps you back up, but his gentle touch is burning into your flesh. You both just stand there a moment as the room shifts into a slow dance.

"One more," Tom asks hopefully, looking into your eyes. You nod.

Once again you find yourself lost in his arms, hoping he can't feel your erratic heartbeat against his chest. Timidly you close your eyes and rest your head on his shoulder, neither of you talking.

You can't help but panic when the music finally stops. This is it, you're moment of glory is over, but neither of you seem in any rush to part.

"Well," Tom starts, "thank you for being such a lovely partner" and he kisses your hand.

"Thank you for asking me to dance," you reply, and you begin to part. Your hands, however, linger until your fingertips can no longer reach one another. You smile as you break contact and turn to walk away.

Almost immediately, you feel Tom grab your hand and scurry up alongside you. "Wait," he implores, and you suddenly start to wonder if you aren't dreaming.

_To be continued…_


	2. Chapter 2

"It's just- before I lose you in the crowd" Tom starts, "I uh… I have a premiere tomorrow evening, and one of my good friends who was planning on coming can no longer make it." He hesitates and looks at you thoughtfully. "Anyway, I was wondering if I could, perhaps, tempt you to accompany me."

Your eyes widen and your mouth falls partially open in surprise at his unexpected invitation. The moment is awkwardly prolonged by your inability to speak. Tom shifts his weight and bites his lower lip, but keeps his eyes locked on you hopefully.

"Tom," you start, "I- I'd absolutely love to, but I couldn't possibly impose..." you muster.

"Puleeease," he objects, "it would be a delight to have you by my side. Much more so than an empty chair." His reassuring smile makes you melt.

"Alright," you agree.

Tom's face lights up with child-like enthusiasm. "Excellent!" he says, relieved. He pulls his phone out of his pocket. "Do you have classes tomorrow?" he asks.

"Just one," you retort, "but I guess I can miss it."

"No no, I wouldn't dream of you missing school. We can work around your schedule. What time is your class?"

"Two to three."

"Perfect," he says, typing it into his phone. "We can go dress shopping in the morning if you like. Unless you already having something you want to wear, in which case I'd just need to coordinate my tie."

_Tom Hiddleston wants to coordinate his tie to my outfit! Wait, is this a date? No. No! Don't be stupid. It's just for the press. _

"Shopping sounds good," you say, trying to remind yourself to breathe.

"How's, say 9am? Gives us enough time to look around and have a bit of lunch before we get you back to school…then I'll be by again around 5 to pick you up."

"Perfect," you agree.

Tom puts your number and address in his phone and thanks you for being patient as he does so. Then he takes your hand and walks you back to where your friend is standing- back to where he found you.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," he announces, bowing slightly. "So sorry to have kept you waiting," Tom apologizes to your friend. "Enjoy the rest of your evening ladies." And with that, he disappears into the sea of people in the ballroom.

_To be continued…_


	3. Chapter 3

By the time your alarm goes off the following morning, you can barely open your eyes. It hadn't been easy to fall asleep after all that had passed between you and Tom. At most, you probably got three solid hours of shut eye. Taking a deep breath, you force your body out of bed, opening your mind to all the possibilities that today might bring. Rubbing your forehead sleepily, you can't help but smile before you dash off to get ready.

Nine o'clock finally rolls around and you can hardly believe your eyes when a limo pulls up in front of your apartment. Tom steps out wearing a collared shirt and slacks, casual compared to last night, but still stunning. A massive grin spreads across your face as he lowers his shades and greets you. "You look radiant this morning my dear," he says, stealing a kiss on the hand.

Thanking him for the compliment, you both get in the car and head into town.

After trying on several mediocre dresses, you finally find the perfect fit. A floor-length, royal blue, satin gown with halter straps. Tom is absolutely speechless when you emerge from the dressing room, and his reaction causes you to blush. "You. Are. Ravishing," he finally manages after circling around you. "Truly. That dress was made for you."

There's an awkward silence as Tom admires you and you aren't quite sure what to say. Shyly, you start fondling the dress. Tom catches you looking at the price tag and snatches both your wrists in his hands. "Uh uh," he scolds lightly. "My treat."

"No," you assert very firmly. It really was too much.

Tom, now entwining his fingers in yours playfully, ignores your objection and whispers "let me do this for you. What kind of a gentleman would I be if I made you buy your own dress for _my_ premiere?"

You sigh, defeated but equally relieved that your bank account won't be taking an enormous hit.

It doesn't take long for Tom to find a tie to compliment your dress. He makes the purchases, you bombard him with 'thank yous' and the pair of you head out for lunch.

It was impossible to concentrate in class that day. All you could think about was how you were going to style your hair and how your dress was going to match Tom's eyes- the list went on and on. When the lecture finally ends, you rush out of the room and walk giddily back to your apartment to get ready.

"Wow," your roommate says, sneaking up behind you as you put the final touches on your makeup. "Tom's a lucky man."

"Oh, stop it."

"Girl, you are about to walk the red carpet with Tom-_freaking_-Hiddleston. Now is not the time for modesty. And how the hell are you so calm right now?"

"Because I'm waiting for that inevitable moment when I wake up from this dream," you retort.

Your roommate grabs your shoulders and spins you around. "This is _reality_. You go and enjoy yourself tonight. And I want you home by 1am," she adds teasingly.

"Yeah, whatever _mom_," you respond, giving her a hug.

Just then there's a knock at the door. Your heart stops as you and your roommate freeze and lock eyes.

"Go get him girl," she encourages with a smile.

Taking a deep breath, you grab your purse and head out into the night.

_To be continued..._


	4. Chapter 4

As the limo door opens, you are bombarded with flashes of light. Tom helps you out of the car and takes your arm as he graces the camera's with a warm smile. Immediately overwhelmed, you try your best to focus on Tom and not look too anxious in front of the press. _This is normal for him_, you think to yourself. _A normal day for me is like, sitting in a cafe doing homework… but this?! Wow. _

Tom has to say a few words to various interviewers, but throughout the whole process he never lets go of your hand. Not once.

"I'd like to introduce you to some friends of mine," he says when you finally reach the lobby. You nod in agreement and follow him through the crowd. After shaking several hands, its time to find your seats.

The entire theater cheers and applauds as the lights dim. Tom squeezes your hand without looking at you. _Is he nervous?_ you wonder. You decide to squeeze back, just in case he needs the reassurance.

The film is wonderful. _And how could it not be with Tom in it? _

After facing the mass of social formalities following the premiere, you're not completely disappointed to leave. It was a phenomenal experience, but your feet are killing you inside your heels, and your head is pounding from the crowd. Following the stream of people heading outside, you are surprised when Tom pulls on your arm and motions with his head for you to follow him. He takes you through a door marked "employees only" and when you're a decent way down the hall Tom finally explains. "I had my car brought around the back so that I could drive you home myself and we could avoid any unnecessary attention."

"Oh," you say, surprised. "You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to."

Soon you were sailing down the highway in his black sports car; undetected by the world.

"So what did you think?" he asks.

"That was incredible. I mean, _you_ were incredible."

"You're too kind."

"You're too modest."

"Am I?" he smiles mischievously.

Before you know it you're back at your apartment and Tom is walking you to the door. Neither of you are ready to part.

"Thank you for coming," he says sincerely. "It really does mean a lot to me. And I hope you find an occasion to wear that dress again because… _wow_."

You brush off his comment, embarrassed. "Thank you again, for tonight- for the dress- for everything."

"It's nothing," he mutters almost inaudibly. And with that, he takes your shoulders and kisses your forehead lightly.

"I am curious though," you say. "Why me? You could have taken anyone else. Why would you take me?"

"Why not?" he responded enigmatically.

"Tom, you asked me for a reason. What was it?"

He looks at the ground, lips pursed, unsure of what to say.

"Tell me," you prompt, and with a sudden burst of confidence, Tom's hand finds your neck as he pulls you into a kiss.

* * *

_Did you catch the 'Thor' dialogue reference at the end there? Just a bit of fun ;)_

_To be continued..._


	5. Chapter 5

Tom captures your lips with his in a single, lingering kiss. He cuts it off all too soon and presses his forehead to yours.

"This is madness," he says, stroking your hair. "We hardly know one another, and yet, you captured my heart from the start."

He cups your face in his hand, scanning your expression.

"Tell me to stop," he breathes, tracing your bottom lip with his thumb.

You look into one another's eyes deeply and neither of you speak for a moment.

"I wish I could," you retort and Tom smiles weakly, seeming to like your response.

"I suppose this isn't the best time to tell you that I must return to England in a couple of days…"

You nod in understanding.

"May I see you again before I leave?" Tom inquires.

"I'd like that."

"I'll be in touch then," he says, running his hand down your shoulder, along your waist, and pausing at your hip. "Goodnight darling."

You slump against your front door as he walks away.

_Tom Hiddleston just called me 'darling' _you think to yourself dreamily_. My life is now complete. _

With a shy smile on your face, you wave goodbye and head inside.

The lights are out, but you can see the glow of your roommate's laptop. Assuming she's doing coursework, you don't say anything and immediately begin getting ready for bed.

"Okay, I can't take it anymore," she finally blurts after about ten minutes of you having walked in. "You haven't said a word! I'm _dying_ here!"

"I didn't want to bother you."

She rolls her eyes and springs up from where she's sitting.

"So… is he a good kisser?"

"What?!" you exclaim, taken aback.

"I know, I'm sorry. It's just- I heard the car pull up, and when you didn't come in, I may have peeked out the window and saw something I wasn't supposed to see…"

You blush.

"Oh come on," she pleads. "You know you're not getting out of this. I won't let you sleep until I've heard the whole story. Details. Details!"

Taking an audible breath, you sit down and tell her all about your time with Tom, and for the first time since you met him, it all begins to feel quite real.

_To be continued..._


	6. Chapter 6

The following afternoon you find yourself slaving away in the school library, trying to make up for all the time you'd lost in the past couple of days. You're surprised by how much you're able to get done considering how difficult it is to focus.

Slouching over the table writing, you are just barely able to detect the motion of someone slipping into the seat across from you. You glance up and find Tom smiling at you.

"Surprise," he says quietly, revealing a single stem pink rose from behind his back.

Shocked, you slowly reach out to accept it as you peek from side to side, feeling eyes on you from all around the room.

"What are you doing here?" you whisper, quietly sniffing the flower.

"I stopped by your place and your roommate told me where I might find you. Lovely girl, by the way- very friendly. Anyway, I thought I might keep you company," he says cheerfully. "But if you're too busy, I can go. I don't want to distract you."

"No, stay," you encourage. "I'm almost done."

After about twenty minutes more, you pack up your stuff and you and Tom leave the library.

"You're very dedicated," he notes. "Studying on a Friday. That takes some serious willpower."

You laugh. "So what now?"

"Are you hungry?" he asks.

"Starving," you reply.

"Dinner it is."

The pair of you walk hand in hand back to Tom's car and he drives to nice restaurant on the beach after making a quick stop at your apartment. You enjoy a lovely dinner together and then head out on the sand to enjoy the last bit of light before sunset. It's still rather hot outside, so you're happy with your choice of wearing a sundress.

Sitting on the shoreline, listening to the sound of the crashing waves, Tom is the first to speak.

"It's not fair really."

"What isn't?"

"I'm willing to bet that you know a great deal more about me than I know about you."

"What would you like to know?"

Tom goes on to ask you about your hometown and your family, followed by the more trivial details of your taste preferences.

"How old are you?" he inquires as the two of you are watching the sunset.

You look at him, amused by the question. "How old do you think I am?"

"I may be wrong, but I _think_ that guessing a woman's age is a _bad_ idea."

You laugh at his manner and freely admit "I'm twenty-one."

"Hell of an age difference," he remarks passively.

"That's a matter of perspective," you retort gently.

"Well, I suppose it is _you_ who's getting the short end of the stick."

You tilt your head to the side dramatically. "You _must _be kidding me."

"Alright, point taken. Forget I mentioned it," Tom says with a nervous chuckle, sensing the strength of your opinion. He folds his arms across his knees and watches as you lie down on the sand next to him. He doesn't attempt to hide his admiration of you. Ever so gently, he twists his upper body to lean over you and places a chaste kiss on your lips. His hand immediately settles on your waist and remains there.

"Do me a favor," he says.

"Hmm?"

"Next time we see one another, wear the most hideous outfit you can possibly find."

Your reaction is a mixture of laughter and confusion. "Why?" you wonder aloud.

"Because if you don't, I may not be able to keep my hands off you."

Up till now, you'd been resistant in your attachment to Tom, thinking it could only ever lead to your heart being crushed in some extraordinary fantasy. But in this moment, you decided to let yourself go and take a chance in giving your heart to the gentleman sitting next to you.

_To be continued..._


	7. Chapter 7

For the next two months or so, Tom keeps in touch from overseas, texting and emailing you daily just to let you know he's thinking of you. In fact, he's even sent a couple of handwritten letters, and you can't help but feel like the luckiest girl in the world whenever and however you hear from him.

Your relationship is largely a secret for now, at least until you have a better handle on it yourself. However, there are times when it's nearly impossible not to share your happiness with the world.

You and Tom get along very well, and the more you share about your interests and your aspirations, the more dreamlike your relationship becomes. It seems impossible that he could understand you so well after so little time, but he does. He gets your humor, senses your moods, and respects your tastes. Everyday you wake up thinking the whole thing must've been a dream but then, sure enough, a message from Tom snaps you back to reality.

One evening around 9pm, your cell phone rings, and you pick it up absentmindedly without checking to see who it is.

"Hello?" you say somewhat sleepily, without looking up from your homework.

"Hello darling. You sound tired," says an all too familiar, silky smooth voice.

"Tom?!" you cry in disbelief. Between the time difference and both of your busy schedules, it was rare that the two of you could actually talk.

"Yes, it's me love."

"But, what? It's like 5am in London..."

"I know, I'm up early and I just wanted to tell you the news," he says, and you can hear a lot of chatter in the background. "I'm at the airport, catching a flight to Los Angeles actually. I'll be there by the time you wake up tomorrow morning."

You smile ecstatically until you realize that he cannot see your expression. "Oh my gosh, that's wonderful! What time do you get in?"

"Sometime around seven more or less. But It gets better," he assures you. "I'll be staying for at least a good two weeks. We have a lot of promotional work to do for _The Dark World_ but mostly I- I just can't wait to see you," he adds softly.

The tone of his voice makes you melt inside. "Likewise," you assure him.

"Alright doll, sleep well and I'll call you tomorrow. Goodnight."

"Good _morning_," you say cheekily, and hang up the phone. Taking a deep breath, you try to maintain your excitement, but your mind is already a-flutter in anticipation of seeing Tom. Tomorrow cannot come fast enough.

* * *

Your alarm goes off extremely early the following morning, and despite how desperately tired you are, you jump out of bed with great enthusiasm. After hearing from Tom last night you'd decided it would be fun to surprise him by meeting him at the airport.

A couple hours later, you're standing in the arrival terminal at Los Angeles International Airport, holding a sign that reads "Welcome Back Tom." Biting your lip, you scan the crowd anxiously, silently praying that you don't miss him. When you finally spot Tom in the distance, you dial his number on your cell. Fortunately you see him reach into his pocket.

"Hello," he answers suspiciously, his voice laced with surprise at your unexpected call.

"Look to your right," you say as he approaches. Turning his head, Tom's face lights up with that gorgeous smile of his as he spots you. The shock is evident in his expression and Tom chuckles as he maneuvers through the steady stream of people in order to reach you.

"Oh my god, what a surprise," he says sincerely, dropping his luggage and immediately taking you into a hug. "I can't believe you're here. You didn't have to come."

"I know but I wanted to," you smile.

Tom just looks at you, as if he's committing your face to memory. "What did I ever do to deserve you?"

_To be continued..._


	8. Chapter 8

Knowing that Tom must be exhausted after travelling, you decline his offer to give you a ride from the airport, insisting that you have to get straight to school for an exam. After promising to see you soon and thanking you again for the wonderful surprise, he blows you a kiss and the two of you part ways.

The rest of your day passes rather ordinarily. That is, until you return to your apartment that evening. Opening your front door, you flip the light switch and are immediately greeted by some fresh flowers sitting on the coffee table. Smiling, you drop your bags and walk over to read the card, knowing perfectly well who they're from.

"You have no idea how difficult it was to choose a bouquet," Tom's voice interrupts, and you turn around to find him standing behind you with his hands in his pockets and a cheeky grin on his face.

"Oh my gosh," you say delightedly after recovering from the initial shock of his presence.

"I hope you don't mind, but your roommate was more than cooperative in letting me stay and wait for you when I came by with the flowers. I felt indebted to you after this morning."

"Mind? Why would I mind? I didn't think I'd be seeing you tonight. This is a wonderful surprise."

"I know you must be tired, and I hadn't planned on staying, but after sitting here a bit I thought it might be nice to spend an evening in" he says, holding up a copy of your favorite DVD. "What do you think?"

"That sounds lovely," you admit shyly, turning back to read the card that goes with the flowers. You shiver as Tom comes up from behind and wraps his arms around you.

"Thank you. They're beautiful," you say graciously.

"As are you," Tom retorts, his hot breath tickling your skin before he leans in and gently kisses your neck.

Your eyes close and you are lost in total euphoria. "Tommm," you sigh breathlessly, reaching up blindly until your fingers find his golden locks. When you try to turn around and face him, Tom immediately captures your lips with his own. He tastes of tea and mint; so clean and sophisticated and definitively Tom. This is still very new territory for the both of you, and yet you feel as though you must restrain your overwhelming desire. Your hands run up his chest and come to rest under the collar of his shirt. You feel Tom smile at your enthusiasm as he breaks the kiss with a light laugh.

"Mmm," he breathes almost inaudibly. "I've been wanting to do that for so long," he admits with his arm still around your waist. After a long moment of gazing deeply into one another's eyes, he hesitantly releases you and asks if you are hungry. As it turns out, Tom had gotten take out from your favorite nearby restaurant and it was sitting on the table just waiting to be eaten. His thoughtfulness never fails to astonish you.

After dinner, you pop in the DVD and sink into the couch next to Tom. He places an arm over your shoulders sweetly before turning to face the screen. About twenty minutes into the film, you feel yourself getting sleepy. Your head falls unintentionally against Tom's shoulder and he kisses your hair and leans into you comfortingly. It isn't long until you drift off into a deep sleep.

Hours later, you open your eyes with a yawn and are both surprised and delighted to find yourself lying in Tom's arms. Sunlight is just beginning to peek in through the curtains and it takes you a moment to reorient yourself. Slowly, you twist your head around to find Tom smiling down at you.

"Good morning darling," he says in a low, gravelly, just-woke-up voice.

Too tired to respond, you just sigh deeply as you nuzzle into his chest, fully intent on drawing out this perfect moment for as long as possible.


End file.
